The moves are a response to a sudden shift this year in American car behavior. As gas prices have spiked, the driving public has been eschewing gas-guzzlers and embracing hybrids.

According to the Detroit Free Press, sales of the Tundra (whose 4WD, 5.7-liter version gets 13 miles per gallon in the city) fell by 52.9 percent in June. For the year, sales are down 7.6 percent. Sales of the Sequoia (also getting 13 m.p.g. city) are higher than last year, but dealer inventory is also high.

News outlets are describing Toyota's move as unusual for a company that has a reputation for accurate long-term forecasting and minimizing excess inventory. The Detroit Free Press quotes University of Michigan professor Jeffrey Liker, author of four books about Toyota's corporate culture, who says that the shift will be a "painful process."